Chesterfield (45 hours 30 minutes) – 15 to 16 January 1932
Central School Swimming Bath, Saltergate
Dr H.G. Stead, Chief Education Officer of the Chesterfield Education Committee, wrote to Mercedes on 17 December 1931 to give her the good news that his Committee had decided to offer her the use of the Central School Swimming Bath in Ashgate Road, Saltergate, for a further attempt on the record, under the supervision of his Deputy, Dr E.C. Walter. The contract was identical to that agreed with Rotherham Corporation, and Mrs Lander, Secretary of the Chesterfield Ladies’ Swimming Club, was briefed to put arrangements in place.
Mercedes entered the water at midnight on Thursday, swam through Friday 15 January, and finished at 9.30 p.m. on Saturday, 16 January.
Solid food had been introduced on a few of the preceding endurance swims, but on this occasion she reverted to a reduced diet of chicken broth and honey. Gramophone music was played throughout the two days, supplemented by live entertainment provided by the Dorick Dance Band.
The real endurance test came, as usual, during the night hours when extreme tiredness stepped in. It was reported in the Derbyshire Times
that she carried on with grim determination, continually altering her strokes, and she revived, as always, with the coming of the dawn.
Visitors were plentiful, especially on Saturday, and so large was the assembly during the last two hours that it was difficult to move around the side of the baths.
The finish of the swim was announced by Alderman J.E. Clayton (Chairman of Chesterfield Corporation Baths Committee) in the presence of Mrs J.T. Hurst (President of Chesterfield Ladies’ Swimming Club), Mrs A.H. Lander (Secretary), and Alderman H. Cropper (Chairman of Chesterfield Education Committee). Alderman Clayton called it an astonishing feat. He said it was incredible to think someone could swim continuously for all that time.
Mercedes was helped out of the water by PC Wilson, PC Abbot and PC Basnett (Chesterfield Borough Police Force) together with Mr W.H.J. Coombes (Chesterfield Men’s S.C.), and then conveyed to her apartment in Alexandra Road.
The following morning Mercedes gave an interview to the Derbyshire Times reporter and told him how much she had enjoyed the swim. She assured the journalist that she never suffered from after-effects, mainly because her muscles were so well trained to swimming for long periods.
Derbyshire Times, January 1930
Reproduced courtesy of the Derbyshire Times
Through the Derbyshire Times
she thanked Chesterfield Ladies’ S.C., Chesterfield Men’s S.C., Alderman Clayton, the Borough Police, the Dance Band, and all those who helped run the event. She added that whenever she needed encouragement she had only to look at the cheerful faces of the onlookers on poolside.
After talking enthusiastically about Chesterfield’s prospects at their football match the next day, Mercedes said she had received a number of invitations from local organisations and intended to avail herself of as many as possible. She and her husband would also travel to Sheffield to spend two days with Ivy Gill, a friend and fellow English Channel swimmer. Ivy had again come to support her (as she had in Rotherham) and was amongst those who kept a vigil throughout Friday night.
